Dog missing for 4 years found 500 miles away

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KRQE) – A dog that went missing in Colorado was found four years later and more than 500 miles away in southern New Mexico. Now, Patches back home with her original owner, Benjamin Baxter, in Nebraska.

Patches went missing in 2020 while she was at Baxter’s friend’s home in Calhan, Colorado. Patches had to stay there because Baxter moved to Kennesaw, Nebraska, for work, and his new place didn’t allow pets.

“She’s kind of been a Houdini her whole life, and we had ventured all over the country together. So for her to run away chasing butterflies or rabbits, it wasn’t uncommon, but she always came home,” said Baxter.

Baxter said he planned to take Patches back once he found a place she could live with him; however, Patches went missing before that could happen.

“By day seven, I was like, there’s just no way, I’m never going to find this dog again,” Baxter said.

Four years later, Baxter got a call from his wife, saying Patches was found at the Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

The shelter said Patches was found by Dona Ana County Animal Control, and picked up as a stray in the nearby city of Anthony.

“I’m looking through these pictures. I’m like, this is my dog,” Baxter said. “I haven’t seen this dog. I have thought this dog has been probably dead for the last four years. And just seeing her was, I mean, mind-boggling. I cannot explain to you how crazy that was.”

Baxter said he is thankful for his other friends who helped get Patches microchipped while he was away in military training in 2018.

“It’s not something I had ever even considered. But I’m grateful, now in retrospect,” he said.

Patches’ journey back to her owner didn’t stop in Las Cruces. Baxter’s friend, who was watching Patches in Colorado when she went missing, helped the pup get from New Mexico to Nebraska. Patches officially arrived home on Sunday, in an emotional moment for Baxter.

“I’m not a big crier. But you know, I definitely was getting some teary eyes just seeing my dog back in front of me again,” Baxter said.

Patches, who is now 10 years old, is currently adjusting to living back at home. Baxter plans to take her to the vet for a full checkup.

“This reunion serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring power of love and the remarkable role technology plays in reuniting lost companions,” said Clint Thacker, the executive director of the Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley. “Please remember to microchip your pets and keep the owner information current.”